


We Were Never Meant to Be (Baby, We Just Happened)

by flipadelphia



Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Band, M/M, minimal dialogue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-10 21:33:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5601868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flipadelphia/pseuds/flipadelphia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As much as Pete didn’t want to admit it his relationship with Patrick was over, it was over weeks ago. In order for him and Patrick to ever be happy again they have to be apart from each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. the knock down

**Author's Note:**

> i've been listening to knock you down by keri hilson and this is basically a knock off of the song and video. sorry it's so short the next chapters will be much longer. also, shoutout to my soulmate cynthia for dealing with my messages at three in the morning about this and reading my first draft of this story. i love you, my tru homie.

        It wasn’t always like this for them; fighting over every petty thing. Annoyed of each other's company but wanting to cling to the little love there was, not wanting to call it quits. It seemed like months ago when they were able to be alone, just the two of them, and not fight. They even stopped pretending in front of their friends and their family, fighting during functions with them.

        Before all the fighting it was beautiful, so beautiful. Some would even call it a storybook love. Friends would use them as an example of love being real, as love lasting. Being able to stay in love even when life got tough.

        That was in the past, though. One idiot had to go and ruin it all by mentioning getting a bigger place, which started an argument about money. It also didn’t help that that same person also brought up the idea of children. This not only added to the money argument but started another; immaturity and not being ready. This one conversation, that should’ve been another step into their relationship, ruined it. Causing their arguments to snowball the weeks after.

        As much as Pete didn’t want to admit it his relationship with Patrick was over, it was over weeks ago. In order for him and Patrick to ever be happy again they have to be apart from each other. Patrick didn’t take it very well, as was expected. They fought again and it ended with Patrick crying as Pete packed his essentials. Telling him he’d have someone pick up the rest of his stuff later before leaving.

        Patrick fell asleep that night on a mushy, tear and booger filled pillow. Pete didn’t sleep at all. He couldn’t after what he did. He thought all night about Patrick crying and then about Patrick being happy after everything settled. After Patrick got over Pete and moved on. Thinking this it finally hit Pete completely what he did. What he lost. Pete cried that morning until he had to force himself to get ready for work.

 

***

 

        Patrick was jolted awake by loud banging. He quickly looked at his clock; **2:36** it read, glowing red. Hoping it was the afternoon and not morning he rolled over and peaked behind the thick blanket that was serving as a curtain for the window. It was bright out and the banging got louder, he was sure his neighbors would call the police if he didn’t get up soon. Patrick stumbled to the door and looked through the peephole; someone was blocking his view. His stomach dropped. This was something Pete liked to do on occasion to mess with Patrick. With trembling fingers, not knowing what could come once he opened the door, he unchained the lock and cracked the door open. He was both relieved and saddened when he was met with an amused looking Joe.

        “Just getting up? _Really_?”

        Patrick replied with an eyeroll and something that was a mixture of a grunt and a groan. “What do you want?”

        Joe mock pouted, placing a hand on his chest as if hurt by Patrick’s words. “I thought you’d want to see your awesome friend today. Maybe get some fresh air.”

        Patrick looked down at his feet and rubbed his eyes, trying to quickly think up an excuse as to why he couldn’t go out but in the process he noticed the empty boxes behind Joe. For the second time in less than five minutes Patrick’s stomach dropped. Joe was the “someone” who was picking up Pete’s stuff and he was trying to soften the blow by delaying it for as long as he could.

        Patrick opened the door the rest of the way and moved to the side. “Just get it over with.” He mumbled, walking back to the room to pile Pete’s clothes for Joe. As for the other stuff that Pete and him purchased together, he’d have to man up and come himself.

 

***

 

        I took over an hour to get all of Pete’s clothes into the boxes; Joe insisted on folding them whereas Patrick was just throwing them in. He kept trying to make small talk to try and get his mind off exactly what they were doing; it didn’t work. Patrick wanted Joe out so he could cry again until he fell asleep. When he finally did leave Joe made a joke about Patrick needing to shower. He wasn’t wrong but at the moment all Patrick could do was lay back in bed.

 

***

 

        Once Joe had loaded all the boxes into the back of his truck he made his way into the driver seat, sitting there as he looked down at the keys he fiddled with in his hand.

        “How was he?” Pete’s voice asked from the passenger seat. He told himself on the way there with Joe he was going in there and getting his stuff. He was going to be a grown up about it. As soon as Joe parked, though, he went into little boy mode and had his “mommy” go for him.

        “Terrible.” Joe didn’t want to lie. He wanted Pete to know what he was doing. He couldn’t understand why this was happening. Pete didn’t want to explain it, he couldn’t.

        Pete buried his face into his hands and let out a shaky sigh. Joe took this as his cue to drive.


	2. the backup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry these first two are short that's why i posted them at the same time. i promise the others will be longer. i'm also hoping i'll end up putting more dialogue into these but who knows where my brain will take it. most likely will be mistakes because no one proofread them for me so if you see something please inform me. thank you.

        Meeting Gabe was sort of fate. It helped Pete keep his mind off of his failed relationship with the “love of his life” most of the time. There were times, though, when all he could think about was how life was before Gabe, before all the fighting. When everything was _perfect_. Life with Gabe didn’t suck but it wasn’t life with Patrick.

        Pete was, at first, skeptical about starting a romantic relationship with Gabe. He enjoyed hanging out with him and was thankful for Gabe staying up at all hours with him. Talking him through his gloomy thoughts. Listening to Pete babble on about Patrick and their failed life together. He missed physical human contact that wasn’t just a friendly hug or sympathetic shoulder pat, though. So, of course, Pete made the first move.

        He honestly thought Gabe would stop him, tell him he wasn’t a rebound and it was a bad idea. Gabe only saw him as a friend, which Pete knew would be a lie. What Pete didn’t expect was the other reciprocating the kiss, his warm palms lightly pressed against Pete’s tear stained cheeks. Pete opened his eyes, shocked when he felt the contact and for the first time actually looked at the man in front of him. The detail in his face that he didn’t care to notice before. He noticed the constellation of beautiful freckles that scattered from his nose and blended into the dark circles, that Pete was sure was because of him, under his eyes. He felt his cold, untouched, until now, body start to warm up. Before he knew it Gabe had pulled away, his face beaming and Pete couldn’t help but return the grin.

        Most days Pete enjoyed having Gabe, enjoyed having someone love him and not fight with. He was smiling again and wasn’t crying as often. Hell, he even started going out to clubs and drank for fun rather than to forget.

        There were days, though, where he felt guilty. Guilty for being happy without Patrick. Guilty for kissing someone who wasn’t Patrick. So guilty that he didn’t bring Gabe around his friends; scared it’d get back to Patrick. He didn’t take Gabe out with him unless it was to places where he knew Patrick wouldn’t be. The only dates they had were inside Gabe’s house.

 

***

 

        Gabe was absolutely and completely in love with Pete. His friends were always shocked when he would tell them, “you go ahead, Pete’s coming over today.” when they invited him out. He used to be a flirt, loved to get people to fall for him before cutting off communication with them.

        That was until he met Pete and was intrigued from the start. He didn’t want to use his cheesy, sloppy lines on him, he wanted to help Pete out of his heartbroken state with no other ulterior motives but to make Pete happy again.  
Gabe remembers how it happened, what he was thinking and exactly how he felt when him and Pete went from friendship to relationship. He could give a play by play, in great detail. He could, and once did, draw a terrible picture the kiss.

        At first he was surprised by Pete’s sudden movement but it didn’t take long for him to process what was happening. He waited days for this moment and if it was up to him it probably would’ve taken him a few more months, if at all, to finally make this move. Pete’s lips on his felt like heaven, felt better than any sexual experience he had ever engaged in.

        If he could go back in time he’d make it happen faster so they could skip the awkward, dragged out times where he didn’t want to make a move. Pete shot the bullet that ended Gabe’s playboy life and he wouldn’t have picked anyone else but him to have done it.

 

***

 

        Joe found out about Gabe by running into him and Pete at a bar. He was shocked to say the least and didn’t stay long after the introduction.

        Pete texted him that night, asking him not tell anyone, especially Patrick. He reassured Joe it wasn’t anything serious; just something to help him through the break up.

 _did it happen when you and patrick were together?  
        _ 12:04 am

 

 _are u serious i would nvr do that  
        _ 12:05 am

 _its new and not a big deal  
        _ 12:28 am

 _joe?  
        _ 12:53 am

 

 _i won’t tell anyone  
        _ 10:02 am

 _but if patrick asks me i won’t lie to him  
        _ 10:02 am

  
        Pete deleted the texts; scared Gabe would see them. He wasn’t one hundred percent fine with this deal but it’s all he could get. He just hoped Patrick was over him and wouldn’t ask.


	3. the caspers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a heads up i added to the previous two chapters if you read them when i first posted them. i honestly thought this was longer when i was writing it but i guess not. sorry, friends. has not been proofread so if there's mistakes please let me know. thank you.

        It took awhile but after all the crying and being miserable Patrick made a change. He spent the time apart from Pete working on himself so when they finally did get back together they’d have less problems and go back to being _Pete and Patrick_. What’s the saying? “If we loved ourselves, it wouldn’t be so hard to love each other.” Patrick’s pretty sure he’s heard it somewhere before.

        If Patrick loved himself enough he wouldn’t be concerned with Pete loving him, or not, twenty-four seven. He’d be so full of love that he can love Pete and himself at the same damn time. Not needing to be reminded constantly he’s loved.

        As for the big argument that started everything; that would take a bit longer and a promotion. It took him exactly two weeks and three days before he had the courage to ask his work if there was any higher positions that were open. To his surprise; there was. Patrick had never worked so hard in his life for the spot. He earned it like nothing before.

 

***

 

        During the “break” Patrick found a love letter he wrote Pete when he was seventeen and still in high school. He never gave it to him; too embarrassed because Pete was twenty-two at the time and he was just a teenager.

        In the letter Patrick wrote a line, that even now as he read it in his empty room, made his cheeks heat up.

        “ _you are the cheerleader of my dreams that seems to only date jocks. and I’m the class clown that always keeps you laughing. we are never meant to be. we will never happen._ ”

        Even when professing his love teenage Patrick couldn’t do it right. He was supposed to be confident when doing so not be a pessimistic little shit.

        Patrick wondered if Pete had been here to read it with him when he found it if he’d laugh. Of course he would; but in a loveable Pete Wentz kind of way. It wouldn’t be him making fun of him. It’d be him overwhelmed with emotions as he read it he couldn’t do anything but giggle. Pete would want to frame it and hang it in the living room. Display it for everyone to see when they came over; gush about how in love his boyfriend was with him and always was.

        Patrick sighed, the corners of his mouth quirked up as he put the forgotten love note back into the sleeve of his favorite vinyl as a teenager.

 

***

  
        Patrick spent most of his free time with Andy, Joe, and on rare occasions with his mom. He didn’t talk about Pete, it took all of him not to ask about him but he had to wait until he was absolutely ready. Until he could be sure they were ready to start communicating again and take it from there.

        Everything seemed normal with them, how it used to be with them before the “break” just minus the conversations about Pete.

        A couple times his mom did ask about him but Patrick changed the subject and she quickly took the hint. He could tell she she desperately wanted to know what happened so she could help him someway. He didn’t need help, though, he could do this on his own. He was doing it on his own.

 

***

 

        Weekly lunches with Joe became a thing; he enjoyed them. He enjoyed Joe’s many attempts at getting Patrick to laugh at his dumb jokes. Hearing about Joe’s days was his favorite, though, because it was just him naturally talking instead of him trying to get his mind off of the elephant in the room.

        Today's lunch was different; Patrick was different. It started out pleasant but he was finally ready to talk about Pete, try to rekindle their friendship and go from there. Patrick ask if Joe has talked to him recently, which of course he has. He should’ve known by Joe’s sudden mood change something was wrong but at the time he thought it was just him being surprised about his sudden interest.

        Patrick ask how Pete was doing before he went into what he really wanted to know; _If he was seeing someone_. Joe quickly looked away, becoming nervous and quiet. It dawned on Patrick he thought too highly of his past relationship and what it meant to Pete.

        Patrick honestly didn’t think Pete was seeing someone already. He just wanted it to be confirmed out loud. It took some choice words before Joe spilled on exactly who Pete was seeing and how long it was going on, to his knowledge.

        “ _Who_?” Patrick’s eyes widened, his crossed arms had gone limp. He knew exactly who he was talking about; he was just disgusted.

        “Sapor-”

        “I know who you’re talking about.” Patrick interrupted him, huffing.

        “Are you ok?” Joe asked, finally looking at him with a sympathetic look.

        “Do you know how long?” Patrick ignored his obvious question. Of course he wasn’t _ok_ ; he just found out the “love of his life” had moved on.

        “Not long. A few weeks, at the most.”

        “ _Hm._ ”

 

***

 

        Joe left lunch tense, wondering if he should tell Pete that his ex knew about his current relationship status.

        Patrick had never asked about Pete at their previous lunches. The first lunch he had with Patrick where he knew about Gabe he almost didn’t go. He told more jokes than ever before. Honestly, he didn’t know how Patrick couldn’t tell something was wrong.

        After all that he didn’t think Patrick would ever ask. He was positive Patrick was getting by without him, wasn’t pretending to be happy anymore; it seemed genuine now.

        Patrick seemed distracted this lunch but Joe thought it was something to do with work, he was about to ask Patrick how work was when he came out with his questions about Pete. He had never been scared of Patrick before this. He wanted to lie to him and say no; later tell him he didn’t know when he ended up finding out. He couldn’t be that guy, though, he was his friend.

        Joe immediately texted Pete once he got into his car.

 _he knows  
        _ 1:12 pm

        He expected Pete to text, even call Joe, asking exactly what happened. Instead, he got no reply.

 

***

 

        Patrick left that lunch resentful; thinking how a god, like Pete, could go to someone that’s so average, like Gabe, for comfort. For advice. For _love_ . On his walk home his annoyance turned to distress, him and Pete had _it_. They were fucking magic.

        Was Pete completely over Patrick? Was he one hundred percent committed to Gabe now? Did Patrick lose Pete forever?

        He was disturbed from his thoughts when his text alert went off in his jean pocket.


	4. the crash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> crap filler chapter to get everyone on the same page. wasn't proofread so if you see mistakes please let me know. thank you.

        Pete was at Gabe’s when he got Joe’s text. His breathing became shallow, he had to leave the kitchen, where Gabe was telling him a story while they ate, he had to excuse himself to the bathroom.

        He wanted to scream once he closed the bathroom door but he couldn’t. He couldn’t even hit the walls without Gabe knowing something was wrong. as he paced around the small room he tried to think of ways to let out all his frustration with minimal noise. What he could do was fuck up his phone. Maybe throw it at the tiled floor, say he dropped it. That’s exactly what he did but he didn’t stop at that. He started stomping his foot on the phone, shattering the screen.

        “Fuck!” He finally yelled out, to take out the rest of his anger out about Patrick knowing but also as a reaction to his broken phone.

 

***

 

        Patrick, who was now in the comfort of his own home, let out all the tears he couldn’t when walking home. He didn’t even make it to his room; his back pressed against the door into his apartment as he sobbed.

        He pictured Patrick with Gabe; laughing in his magical way, smiling his incredibly wide way. Did Gabe make Pete feel the way Patrick did? Was he better at loving Pete? Did he sing Pete back to sleep when he had a nightmare like Patrick did? Did he go along with Pete’s dumb ideas? Did he listen to Pete’s worrying thoughts at three in the morning?

        Patrick fell asleep on the floor, thinking about all this. He was awoken by his phone ringing; eyes sore from crying so much, he could hardly open them.

        It was Joe calling, he wasn’t ready to talk to him yet so he let it go to voicemail and read the multiple texts Joe sent.

 

 _did you make it home safe?_ _  
_         1:45 pm

 _are you going to the party?_ _  
_         1:50 pm

 _please answer me_ _  
_         2:18 pm

 _i’m sorry but i couldn’t lie to you_ _  
_         2:24 pm

 _don’t ignore me patrick_ _  
_         2:57 pm

 _PLEASE JUST LET KNOW YOU’RE ALIVE AND SAFE_ _  
_         3:31 pm

 

        Party? What party was he talking about? He remembered getting a text when he was walking home but didn’t want to look at it in case it was Joe telling him more about Pete’s love life. To his surprise it was Andy.

 

 _Get together at my house next Saturday. Bring your own beer if you want some._  
        1:18 pm

 

        Well, he’s not going to that. Pete will be there and probably his new _boyfriend_ , since everyone knows about him and keeps it from Patrick. He can’t believe Joe knew and didn’t tell him, it hurt him that Joe kept this from him. Why would he? To protect him? That was incredibly stupid of him.

        He was about to type back an excuse to Andy when his anger for Joe diverted to Pete. Fuck Pete and his stupid _boyfriend_. He wasn’t going to stop hanging around his friends because of them. Patrick was friends with them for years and he wasn’t going to lost them over an idiot asshole.

 

 _Sounds fun! I’m in._  
        3:46 pm

 

***

        Joe has been trying for three days to get in contact with Patrick but he’s not answering any calls or texts. The only way he know she’s alive is because at night his phone is off and by day it’s on again, but still getting just the voicemail.

 

 _are you still ignoring me?_  
        11:24 am

 _how can you still be mad_  
        4:35 pm

 

        He needs to know if Patrick’s going to the party. He also needs to know if Pete’s going but for some reason he hasn’t texted him since Joe told him about Patrick knowing. Was everyone pissed at him? It wasn’t his fault; he was just the fucking messenger!

 

 _can you just reply with a yes or no about the party and i’ll leave you alone_  
        6:19 am

 _goddammit patrick_  
        6:20 am

 

        Joe was going to be at the party whether or not Patrick went, he really just needed to know if he needed to stay sober enough to watch over Patrick.

 

 _i’m seriously going to call the police if you don’t answer_  
        8:00 pm

        Joe decided not to bullshit anymore and called Andy to ask him, casually of course, who was going.

        “You want the whole list?”

        “Of course I don’t want the whole list, Andy. Just the people I know.” Joe shook his head. Andy was obviously busy but he _needed_ to know. He named off a few of their mutual friends, Pete _and_ Patrick being two of them.

        “And these are all for sure yeses?”

        “Why are you so interested in who’s going?” Andy asked, wondering what Joe was up to and why he wanted to know.

        “I want to make sure I’m not the kid on the bleachers waiting to be asked to dance” Joe joked. It took a while before Joe got his answer. Andy explained to him he didn’t have to worry even if they didn’t show up Andy’s friends wouldn’t let Joe feeling left out. Joe rolled his eyes at the sappiness of it before thanking Andy for confirming he wouldn’t be alone.

        Looks like it won’t be a party after all for Joe. He’s worrying will have to continue while people around him will be having fun.

 

***

 

        Pete found out about the party by running into Andy while on his way to get another phone.

        “My phone broke yesterday, I’m actually on my way to get another one.” Pete explained to Andy.

        “Bummer. Anyways, I’m having a get together at house next Saturday. You gonna be there?” Andy already knew the answer but out of habit asked anyways.

        “You know I’ll be there, dude!”

        He didn’t even think to ask who was going because honestly he doubted Patrick would go. Especially now that he knew about Gabe and since he was pretty sure he let everyone else know, he decided on taking Gabe with him.

        Once he got back to Gabe’s house, though, new cell phone in hand he didn’t tell him about the party. Second guessing his decision; would be disrespectful for him to bring Gabe around his and Patrick’s friends? Would he be an asshole for bringing Gabe? Would his friends talk to him after pulling something like that?

        Pete flip-flops between taking Gabe and not taking him throughout the whole week. He even wrote down pros and cons of doing it. Deciding to take him and once he’s alone with Gabe can’t seem to tell him about the party.

        Pete, finally, tells Gabe about the party half an hour before leaving for said party. He blurted it out and couldn’t take it back. He was taking Gabe and that was it. No way out of it.


End file.
